dcifanforlife

The Forward Performing Arts, Inc-By Laws prevent a thoughtful top to bottom house cleaning and replacement of leadership. Elected Board Members serve staggered three year terms and to become an Elected Board Member you have to have been an appointed Board Member. The board has reached out to the entire drum corps community via a recent survey. Let the board act on those findings and develop a plan to move forward. The current board members are dedicated, hard working, caring individuals that want the organization to survive and be successful. Depending on alumni donations is not prudent. With a couple of exceptions most corps receive little alumni support and even for those corps alumni donations are a small part of their funding.

Setting up for an exciting week of drum corps with the Mandarins arriving North Sioux City SD early Monday. They will be going head to head with Blue Stars, Crossmen, Phantom, Colts and Scouts in the upcoming week. Sunday in St Louis will be fantastic. Dome so no chance of rain out. I have had my 50 yard ticket for weeks. Staying at casino hotel three blocks away. Does't keep much better than this for the hard core DCI fans.

Yes, DCI is considering moving this show to US Bank Stadium if available on the date they want to hold the show. Currently locked out of US Bank Stadium until 2020.

You are correct it is all about paydays for the corps. Once a corps leaves on tour the expenses don't stop so it is DCI's job to have as many paydays as possible for each corps. There is nothing that says that a current exhibition has to be a full panel show in 2019. DCI is only interested in getting as many paydays as possible weather it be via exhibitions, parades or competitive shows. In Midwest and East 4th of July is a huge payday for corps. Corps can make equal to three or four times their normal performance fee in one day. That appears not to be the case in the West. Exhibitions are here to stay for both World Class and Open Class.

Money. Cost of even a partial panel not feasible. DCI is probably already taking or sharing a loss on this show. If they sell enough tickets to pay the corps everyone is happy.

Blue Stars will be the only rested corps. They have Friday off and will be in Maple Grove MN rehearsing. Everyone else has to perform in Rockford Friday night and then bus in for the Saturday show. Weather forecast for Saturday in Twin Cities looks good.

These days it is very difficult for a corps to pass three or four other corps once the season begins. Madison needs to make major changes and they have no time to make them. To pay the bills corps need to book as many shows as possible. July 3rd through July 8th the Scouts have six straight days with little rehearsal time. St Louis on 15th is key date top 12 will probably be set after this show.

Penalty for withdrawal today is more severe than it was in 70;s plus Madison has their home show on July 8th.

In order to maximize rehearsal time the Scouts decided not to go to Spring Grove MN (La Crosse Housing Site) last night instead they stayed in Palmyra WI. Long ride 179 miles to show site. At least members can take a nap going up and back. Go Scouts

Mark your calendars July 10 is the date that the Mandarins arrive in the Midwest Following Sunday in St Louis will be the key show for many corps. Only top corps not in attendance are Santa Clara, Blue Knights, The Academy, Pacific Crest and Troopers.

Flammaster is in the minority here. Must be using sub par equipment or internet supplier. Flomarching is doing a great job.

Most corps have the following schedule. AM: Visual Afternoon: Sectionals Evenings: Ensemble Block: I know of no corps that does't have open rehearsals this time of the year. Note: Blue Stars will not be at Wayne Memorial until Wednesday morning. Tuesday they will be at a high school close to South Bend for the day.

Attended Scouts rehearsal at Ben Davis High School tonight. With three weeks before their first show the Scouts are in great shape to start the season strong. I timed their final run through at 6 minutes and 10 seconds on field. The three musical pieces that they played flowed nicely. Probably only a percussion/visual feature and a closer to go. Now it is all about layering and execution, execution, execution. Scouts remain a top twelve corps.

Winter Meeting and Rules Congress is Jan 5th - Jan 7th at Hyatt Hotel in Indianapolis.

It is all about recruitment if you don't have the members the best staff in the world can't do anything. Troopers are trying to recruit in one of the most competitive regions in the country. I wish them well but I don't see them in the top 15 in 2018. If I am a potential member what is the message are they trying to send to me? No one from a large section of the country will audition with them when there are so many other options available. Holding auditions and camps in Texas was a mistake.

Correct Crossmen move in to Trexler late Friday night. Blue Stars move out when they leave for Friday night show.

Rain out hurts the Mandarins the most. They need to keep increasing their score. Only one head to head match up left with Madison in Rome NY. Madison is on Saturday night in Allentown and scores tend to be higher than on Friday night. Hopefully Mandarins will be seeded right before or right after Madison in Prelims.

No Crossmen - Bluestars matchup until Prelims. A long wait for fans of both corps.

The tour is set at the September meeting. All show sponsors have to commit by mid September. So all Executive Directors/Corps Directors know by October 1st where they will be going. Some show dates may change by a day or two but the tour is basically set much earlier than most people think. Tour partners know what corps they will be getting when they get their contracts. DCI has had a record year for attendance in 2017 so they are already pressuring sponsors to commit for 2018. Only unknown for 2018 is the Florida swing since several corps have said that they will not go to Florida.

Blue Stars arrive in Indianapolis in 14 days. During the next two weeks they have 10 shows ( four shows in a row starting tonight) and only four rehearsal days so majority of changes are already in. So it is an issue of cleaning which the Blue Stars staff is good at.

Yes making finals is the goal of most World Class corps. Benefits afforded the top twelve corps are huge. Helps with recruiting and tour selection. Most Executive Directors and Corps Directors are on multi year employment contracts so reevaluation of the Admin group may not be an option.

Madison and Mandarins only go head to head three times (Birmingham, Winston-Salem and Rome) before quarterfinals so it is going to be difficult to judge who is improving the most. I think Madison has the show that can beat the Mandarins but it will be close. Can Mandarins handle the pressure over the next three weeks?

Several corps already have this type of bus for staff and volunteers. With only 24 beds per bus you would need 7 buses for members rather than the current 3. To expensive for any corps to consider.

DCI assigns what shows both World Class and Open Class corps can attend based on a criteria that has been established over the years. For the past two years in order for the Legends to have any shows they have been forced to make the Florida swing. It is an extremely costly and difficult group of shows to attend. George Hopkins has already stated that The Cadets will not make the Florida swing in 2018. Other corps have refused to make this swing the past two years. DCI needs to rethink their presence in Florida. Without shows to attend both Open Class and World Class corps have no reason to exist. Previous years placement is more important than ever when determining your tour.

When is the independent accountant do his evaluation? During the Winter months most corps books look pretty lean. Cash doesn't start coming until members start paying their dues and fund raising starts. Wait until April or May and then you have to pull the plug late.